Kinloch Nature Walk
Just down the road from Kinloch Wilderness Retreat, meander through the bush, or walk along the road to reach Todd’s cottage and a beach with great views
A gorgeous walk through the forest along the shore of Lake Whakatipu, leading to stunning views of the head of the lake. To get to Todd’s cottage you can choose from:
- following the beaches/rocks along the lake shore
- follow a trail through the evergreen beech forest
- walk along the road for 15-20mins and then a short path in the forest
Kinloch Nature Walk is a true escape to nature. You’ll be surrounded by mountains, lake, forest and rarely anyone else. If you’re feeling really keen put your gumboots along and walk along the edge of the lake to see how far you can go!
Stop a while by the cottage to enjoy the scenery, play with the driftwood, jump off the wharf, try fishing, skim some rocks, or keep going through the woods around the corner. The path comes out by the 1st ford, which you can usually cross without getting too wet. You can walk about 2.5km up the road in total from Kinloch before you reach the 2nd ford, which will result in wet feet if you try to cross it.
Piwakawakas (fantails) and bellbirds will greet you as you walk, with maybe a tui or kereru making an appearance. Great for dogs to explore – there are occasionally vehicles on the road, which leads to Greenstone station and Greenstone/Caples and Lake Rere tracks. A booklet can be borrowed from the Kinloch restaurant to help you better understand your surroundings as you walk.